Echoes In Eternity

[coldthermistor]

Title: Echoes In Eternity
Fandom: Star Wars
Rating: PG-13
Characters: Alek Squinquargesimus (Malak), Revan
Summary: “Brothers, what we do now echoes in eternity.” A meeting down the corridors of time, echoing. One of them must die.
Note: May contain elements of determinism, possible compatibilism, and Nietzsche, depending on your paradigm. Another

Comments

[darth_eldritch]

Beautiful!!!!!!!

The symbolism and the cyclic pattern... over and over again, like Nietzhian (sp!) nightmare... Alek's imperfect prophecy playing against him....

Together, we are invincible. We are legend

There is something so poignant about this.

I am considered one of the - I was one of the best duelists among the Jedi, and I still am.

This! This is my headcanon, too! It's in my fics.
Another little point of contention with Darkhorse. They have Jarael defeating Alek in a sparring session, knocking him over. Okay, Jarael is a good street fighter and new to the Jedi. But Alek is already trained and seasoned at that point. She could not beat him unless he let her.

[coldthermistor]

Thanks :D

It's actually a bit of a dig on how (if you suck at playing KOTOR) you essentially have to play again and again and get killed by Alek until you kill him. In other words, it was in for him all the time.

And it's one of the few Alek-sympathetic fics I had planned. Your comment about how the options are really Malak-unfriendly really struck me. Especially when I realised that all you ever end up doing is (as you mentioned) pontificate at Alek, or totally grind him down further. No redemption. Nothing. And I wanted to give Alek a little something.

They have Jarael defeating Alek in a sparring session, knocking him over. Okay, Jarael is a good street fighter and new to the Jedi. But Alek is already trained and seasoned at that point. She could not beat him unless he let her.

And there's Alek is not a hormonal teenager again. He's not so crazily in love he'll let her win.

[darth_eldritch]

You're welcome!

Ha ha ha ha!!!!!

I know, or, Revan limping away, hurting, trying to avoid Malak's blows... I once forze a great scend where my Revan was limping, holding his side, trying to survive, and Malak is in midair, in a tumble, coming right down on Revan from behind. It was too funny!

I know. I used to really bash on Malak until I studied KOTOR like a close reading and saw a lot of things that a lot people miss or don't get about Malak. Then I started seeing Malak in a more sympathetic light.

IKR?

I could imagine if Alek knew Kali, and if he decided to be that way with Kali, letting her win, she'd be FURIOUS!!!! (She'd take it as an insult.)

[coldthermistor]

I once forze a great scend where my Revan was limping, holding his side, trying to survive, and Malak is in midair, in a tumble, coming right down on Revan from behind. It was too funny!

LOL! Too bad you didn't get a screenshot! That would have been epic.

I know. I used to really bash on Malak until I studied KOTOR like a close reading and saw a lot of things that a lot people miss or don't get about Malak. Then I started seeing Malak in a more sympathetic light.

Same. Or rather, I mostly saw your background on Malak. I think the key is always to humanise the character: once you do that, the empathy and sympathy comes easily.

Well hell yeah. Kali isn't the kind who wants people to lie to her or shield her or give in to her anyway. I'd rather imagine she's used to being (and expects to be) taken seriously, in her own right, period. Not to mention I think that's how she wins, isn't it? She's good at taking advantage of opportunities when they present themselves, and if people underestimate her, too bad for them.

[darth_eldritch]

eek, my spelling there is lousy!

Well, I started thinking of Malak as someone who was Revan's best friend and Revan didn't make friends with just anyone. And being best friends, they had to relate. And Revan being the stronger of the two was the view of the Jedi Council.

Alek's time as a leader was yet to come, and he isn't weak or incompetent in the process.

Very true about Kali. She would think Alek was crazy in such a scenario, but, then, he's a Jedi, what can you expect? Jedi don't make sense anyways ;P

[coldthermistor]

LOL s'okay, we all make typos.

Well, I started thinking of Malak as someone who was Revan's best friend and Revan didn't make friends with just anyone. And being best friends, they had to relate. And Revan being the stronger of the two was the view of the Jedi Council.

Not to mention if he wasn't even a worthy apprentice, Sith!Revan would have culled him and given his place to someone else. And I think the best friend bit is really...underplayed?

Jedi don't make sense anyways ;P

Oh, very true. And she'd probably pull a Gurney Halleck on him. (Think Paul's duel with Gurney, early in the book xD) Kali can handle herself. Very well, thank you.

[darth_eldritch]

:)

Yes, the best friend part is very underplayed! Especially as we have Darkhorse showing them as master and apprentice!

:DDD I think you got Kali very well!
Yes, she wouldn't hesitate to put a hurting on him because that's how she was trained.
(Gurney: Mood is for cattle and loveplay!)

[coldthermistor]

Yep. Which I think is really sad? Because how the friend dynamic shifted to master and apprentice is very interesting to explore: it complexifies things.

Thanks ;) Which says that you characterised Kali very clearly ;) Indeed! And Alek does not suffer from mood!

[darth_eldritch]

Yes. While Revan was more of a leader than Alek, there was no real master/apprentice until they became Sith and Alek was forced to accept the lesser role.
To me, the friendship theme is very important.

You're welcome, and thank you! I try to think my characters, CCs and OCs through, and I don't consider them any different from each other.
No, Alek does not suffer from mood! Gotit, Dark Horse?

[coldthermistor]

While Revan was more of a leader than Alek, there was no real master/apprentice until they became Sith and Alek was forced to accept the lesser role.

I wonder if that became a little difficult to accept as well, given that master/apprentice is entirely different. Perhaps a little more uncompromising, as Sith.

To me, the friendship theme is very important.

Exactly! Well, you know me. Big sucker for the friendship thing.

You're welcome, and thank you! I try to think my characters, CCs and OCs through, and I don't consider them any different from each other.

That's what makes it work :) But then, I'm a big follower of the 'Think It Through, Damnit!' school.

No, Alek does not suffer from mood. Even if he had, it'd been whacked out of him years ago, by training.

[darth_eldritch]

Given that they actually fought for the position of Dark Lord, yeah, the transisition must have been quite abrupt.
And Alek left feeling pretty raw about the whole deal.

Friendship is very important, I think. Revan and Alek is one of those pairs. And the entire tragedy of their friendship being destroyed over what they had done, to me, is one of the greates tragedies of the story. (again, why I don't like the retcon)

Yes, I am very much into thinking it through, damnit!!! :D

True, very true. Personally I don't see Revan having patience for someone who is so ill disciplined as Alek is shown in the comics.

[coldthermistor]

Given that they actually fought for the position of Dark Lord,

Oh right! They did! That had to make things even worse, I guess. Because when they're settling into their new Sith relationship, I guess Revan might have had to come down harder on Alek, which could have bred resentment. (Not to mention Alek is the people-person. More so than Revan, anyway.)

Revan and Alek is one of those pairs. And the entire tragedy of their friendship being destroyed over what they had done, to me, is one of the greates tragedies of the story. (again, why I don't like the retcon)

Agreed.

Personally I don't see Revan having patience for someone who is so ill disciplined as Alek is shown in the comics.

I couldn't see someone that ill-disciplined getting far, TBH. At least not at that period of time. Anakin was lucky in that he had Obi-Wan to counter-balance him.

[darth_eldritch]

Yeah, it must have been bad. I even rough drafted fic about that time, and, boy, Alek, our newly minted Darth Malak, is seething.
This, I think is one of Revan's mistakes, how he handled Alek up to that point, and how he handled Alek at that point.

It's little wonder that Malak hates Revan. Malak wasn't like, oh, it's you, Revan, I defeated you, end of argument. While Malak is very self controlled, there are hints about bad blood, really bad blood there.

Very good point about Obi-Wan! And very true!
And Revan would never have Obi-Wan's patience!

[coldthermistor]

The fics never got off the ground? :/

This, I think is one of Revan's mistakes, how he handled Alek up to that point, and how he handled Alek at that point.

In what sense, specifically?

Malak wasn't like, oh, it's you, Revan, I defeated you, end of argument. While Malak is very self controlled, there are hints about bad blood, really bad blood there.

Definitely. And the fact that he is still seething, in a character that is so self-controlled really hints at the depth of emotion involved.

Naaah, Obi-Wan would be the saint of patience, I swear.

[darth_eldritch]

It's rough draft of what's coming up.

Kind of how truthful Revan had been, how much he let Alek decieve himself that they were not going completely Dark side, just trying to tap into the power that the Jedi were afraid of... that sort of thing. So it's a shock to Alek, and that part of Alek that wants power does contest Revan. Head!canon, really. Revan is good, but he is still learning, and still might be rough at points.

Especially in that confrontation on the Leviathan, and how Malak handled that fight.

:D

[coldthermistor]

Awesome! :D

True. Makes a lot of sense, now that you mention it.